Governor for centrifugal air-compressors.



R. H. RICE. GOVERNOR Pon GENTRIFUGAL Am ooMPBEssoRs.

APPLICATION FILED APB.15, 1910.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

I nventor.' Richard Rice,

' 2 is a side elevation of the same.

UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE.I

RICHARD H. RICE, OF LYNN, MASSCHUSET'PQ, ASSIGNGB T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CDRPOBATION 01? YORK.

GOVERNOR FOB CENTRIFUGAL AIB-CQM'IBESSORS.

Specicatien of Letters Yatcnt,

Application led April 15, 191@ Serial No. 555,613.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD H. Hier., a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Governors for Centrifugal Air-Compressors, of which the following .is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for governing the volume ot tluid discharged by a centrifugal compressor, and it constitutes a modification of the similar invention patented to me on April 27, 1909, No. 919,953. In that patent, the governor consists of a counterweighted float located in an enlargeA ment of the conduit conveying air to the compressor. In the present instance, the lloat is a plain disk located in a straight portion of said conduit, thereby affording a much simpler construction of these parts.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure l is an end view of a turbine driven air compressor embodying my invention, and Fig.

1 indicates the casing of the centrifugal compressor and 2 the impeller thereof, the latter being mounted on the main shaft 3 supported by suitable bearings carried by the bed plate 4. The casing of the compressor is also supported by the bed-plate, which in addition carries a turbine 5, of any suitable construction; as here shown it is of the well-known Curtis type. The bucket wheel is mounted on the main shaft 3. Steam is admitted to the turbine by the pipe 6 containing the shut off valve 7. Between the shut olf valve and the turbine is a regulator or throttle valve 8 which also controls the assage of the steam to the turbine. Driv en by the main shaft of the turbine is a speed responsive device comprising a collar 9 that is fast to the bevel gear 10, and the latter meshes with a bevel gear 11 carried by a low speed shaft that 1s driven by the main shaft.

A vertical spindle 12 slides in the collar 9 and carries a collar 13, the latter being in turn connected to the centrifugally acting weights 14, so that as the speed of the turbine increases and th( weights move outwardly the spindle 12 will be depressed. To the lower end of the spindle 12 is attached one end of the lever 15, to whose opposite end is attached the rod 16. ToL the lever 15 at a point between its ends is pivoted the stem 17 of the throttle valve 8. 'The upper end of the rod 16.is connected to an arm 1S on a rock shaft 19. A second arm onlsaid shaft is connected by the link 20 to an arm 21 on a rock shaft 22, which carries another 'arm 23 pivoted to the upper end of a rod 24 at its upper end against a screw plug 3() surroundin the rod and adjustable in a nut 31 mounte in an opemng in the top of the elbow 32 connecting the conduit with the' pipe 33 which communicates with the com-y pressor. The outlet of the compressor is at 34.

conduit in which the float or disk 25 is located is straight, being in fact a portion of the preferably cylindrical regular conduit.L and not a special section made therefor, as in my former patent. The theory of opera# tion is, however, the same. It the volume of fluid discharged by the compressor decreases, the disk 25 will be lowered slightly due to the spring 2S and to gravity. and in so doing it will raise the rod 16 and thereby lift the stem l? of the throttle valve. increasing the supply oi' steam to the turbine. This causes thespeed of the compressor to increase and the pressure of the air discharged will also increase untill the volume is restored to normal. An increase of this volume above normal will produce an opposite etlect upon the throttle valve and slow down the turbine and compressor, The centrifugal speed governor, connected to the other end of the lever 15, also exerts a control upon the turbine, tending to slow it down when it runs too fast, and vice versa.

In my aforesaid patent, the float is counterbalanced by a weight, so as to permit it to be adjusted for ditlierent outputs. I replace the weights by the spring in the present invention, which lby means of the screw plug can be adjusted very accurately for any given output.

It is to be noted that my improved governing mechanism will deliver a constant volume of air at the outlet, irrespective of its pressure.

Patented Deaf), 1913.

pressor, reference may be had to my aforesaid patent. f

My improved mechanism has the very important advantage that it can be readily adjusted in so far as'its overning characteristics are concerned. 5y using a fiat 'disk in a cylindrical pipe in the manner stated,

the spring may be varied as to its scale and also as to its tension or compression thereby varying the governing characteristics without appreciably altering the governing force.

It will be seen that my improved mechanism possesses the marked advantage f great iiexibility of adjustment, and this without disturbing the float or the cylindrical conduit that contains it.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention together with the apparatus which lI now consider to represent the best embodiment-thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and thatv the invention can be carried out by other means.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

. 1. The combination with a centrifugal apparatus for imparting pressure to a Huid, of a motor for driving it, a mechanism for controlling the speed of said motor,- a fluid conveying'conduit having a straight portion, a float located in said portionof the conduit,

'.means including a rod for transmitting the movements of said Heat to the controlling mechanism and an adjusting springy that acts on said. rod to vary the action ot' the Boat.

to the Boat and extending through said connection, a spring that surrounds the rod and is located in said connection, means supported by the connection and external to it for adjusting the eifect of the spring, and a regulator for the motor which is sensitive to the movements of said iioat and rod.

3. The combination with an air compressor, of a motorfor driving it, a straight vertical conduit for conveying air to said compressor, a float located in said conduit, a spring for opposing the upward movements of said Hoat, means for adjusting the spring and a regulator for the lnotor which is responsive yto movements of said iloat.

4. The combination with an air compressor, of a motor for driving it, a conduit through which the air acted upon by the compressor passes, said conduit having a stralght sided portion, a device located in said portion and moved by the tluid flowing through it, a spring opposing 'movement of the device in one direction, means for afdj usting they spring, a regulator for the motor,

- and means for causing movements of the device to modify the position of the regulator.

`5. The combinationY with an air compressor, of a motor for driving it, a conduit through which the air actedlv upon by the compressor passes, said conduit having a straight cylindrical portion and an'elbow connected thereto, a float located in the straight portion, an axially movable rod on one end of which the iioat is mounted, the other end of said rod extending outwardly through the wall of the elbow, an adjustable and removable abutment mounted on the wall of the elbow and through which the rod passes, an abut-ment on the rod, a spring having its ends in engagement with said abutments, a regulator for the drivin motor, and means connecting the outer end of the rod with the regulator. v

In witness whereof, I have hereuntoset my hand this thirteenth day of April, 1910.v

RICHARD H. RICE. Witnesses JOHN A. McMANUs, Jr., CHARLES A. BAnNARn. 

